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Top Dog: Makelele Chop Puts Cole's Involvement in Doubt

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Betfair's newshound sniffs around the truth behind the latest tabloid tales.

• Cruft's champion - Top stories that can dominate the news agenda
• Pedigree chum - Insights that tell you something you don't know
• Dog's dinner - Speculation, guesswork, or ideas that just don't come off.

Top Dog says:

All that planning, everything organised, and then Claude Makelele lunges into a stupid tackle in training and Ashley Cole is a doubt for the final. If you think Avram Grant was handed a problem when Cole went down injured, it caused chaos in newspaper offices too. They all had their set piece back pages designed and ready and suddenly they had a proper story to deal with instead. The Mail and Sun tore up their old plans and went with a completely new back page with pictures of the tackle. The Star did something similar but still kept their planned Didier Drogba exclusive lead story. The Mirror found room for a small picture and a story that turned inside. The Express ignored it completely as far as the back was concerned and hit the tale inside in a single column. They were wrong because Cole's injury could make a massive difference. He's one of the few defenders who normally dominates Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese winger is now [3.05] to score.

Crufts:

Daily Mirror - Scholes is my favourite says Sir Bobby - Talk to any of the United legends and they'll all name Paul Scholes as the best they played or trained with. Sir Bobby Charlton - and he has seen a few legends at Old Trafford - adds his own endorsement. Will Scholes finally get his winner's medal after missing out in the 1999 final? United are [1.84] favourites to capture the trophy, and [2.64] to do it in 90 minutes.

Daily Star - I'll make Roo pay - Danny Fulbrook's source for this story might be dubious. He quotes 'a source close to the Chelsea star'. But there's not much doubt the basis will be right and that Didier Drogba will be angry at Wayne Rooney's misreported comments which described the Ivory Coast striker as 'off his head'. Drogba took out his anger at a perceived Liverpool insult with a goal in the semi-final and he'll want to repeat the performance. He is [3.65] to score, and [8.8] for it to be the first goal of the game.

Pedigree Chum:

The Sun - Harry's led the way, now I want a family double - Okay, so this comes from the press conferences, but Shaun Custis has developed the theme of Frank Lampard's desire to follow on his Uncle Harry Redknapp's FA Cup success. Lampard's goalscoring will be a key area for Chelsea, and the stats show he has three times more shots on target per game than the average Premier League midfield player. He is [5.3] to score tonight.

Daily Mail - Gladiators ready - Manchester man Ian Ladyman and London based Neil Ashton give a good insight of the mood inside each of the Champions League camps. One interesting fact: United have been kept living on British time since they arrived in Moscow despite the three-hour time difference and the 10.45 local time kick off.

Daily Mail - Best of British - One of the pieces that always sparks a debate. Veteran writer Jeff Powell has picked his best British eleven from all the 39 European Cup finals he's covered since 1968. Steven Gerrard is the only current player who gets into it. Brian Clough and not Sir Alex Ferguson is named as the manager.

The Sun - Scuff luck - Ryan Giggs reveals the pass to Teddy Sheringham that transformed United's 1999 final was actually a scuffed shot. So which way will lady luck turn tonight?

Daily Mirror - Wayne's perfect hat-trick - A strong interview with Manchester United's Wayne Rooney discussing his dream summer treble, to follow the Premier League medal with another for the European Cup and then his wedding to Coleen.

Daily Star - Mart's Sid bid is on this time - Don't expect to find too much room for anything that's not to do with United and Chelsea. This just about qualifies as Aston Villa are getting close to a £4.5million deal to take Steve Sidwell from Stamford Bridge once the European Cup final is all over.

Daily Mirror - Johnson plots tour de force - The Mirror also find space to remember there's another big game this week with an even richer prize in cash terms than in Moscow. Bristol City boss Gary Johnson is getting ready to face Hull at Wembley for a place in the Premier League and will take his team on the Stadium Tour tomorrow to get the sightseeing out of the way. It's good psychology. City are [2.32] to clinch promotion which could be good value.

Daily Mirror - Keegan: I'll stand by Joey - Kevin Keegan plans to give Joey Barton another chance when he comes out of jail, which could be as soon as September. Newcastle's board might not be quite so keen to stand by the four years left on his £40,000 a week contract.

Dog' s Dinner:

Daily Mail - The Redknapp report - Jamie Redknapp goes through the areas where the game could be won for both United and Chelsea - but never says which he thinks is more likely to happen. Will he still be picking splinters from his backside from sitting on the fence once he gets on the telly tonight?

The Sun - Terry Venables tactics board - The Sun has to do a hasty re-write of their star columnist's Moscow verdict: 'If Ashley Cole can shackle Cristiano Ronaldo like he did the other week Chelsea will win the Champions League'. But even though they added a second paragraph which said: 'That battle will be the key providing Cole is fit'!, the rest of the piece rambles on discussing a duel that might not happen.

The Sun - Moyes in for Dudu - As stories go this is more a dud than a Dudu. Phil Thomas is just guessing Everton's targets at the moment.

Today's Other Headlines:

The Sun - Blunatic - Fergie: Win it for the Babes - Fergie: It's written in the Tsars - How the Moscow teams line up - Eight page Champions League pull-out - Michael Essien and Michael Ballack interviews - Steven Howard scene-setter from Moscow.

Daily Express - The history men - Rooney after spot of redemption - Sir Alex in flying form - Hoddle tips United - Ballack can be a star at last - Cole left to sweat on injury - Gant looks at bigger picture - Tsar status up for grabs - eight page Moscow pull-out - Alan Curbishley on how the bosses will prepare.

Daily Star - Av fears as Ash bashed - Eu don't get any better than this says Fergie - Lamps: I'll add to family silver - You've signed the best in Europe, Lisbon president told Fergie - Eight page Champions League pull-out - This is why I joined United says Rooney - Fergie v Avram - I supported United as a boy but I love Chelsea now says Michael Essien - Copp stays for fans.

Daily Mirror - Come on England! - Whackelele - Lampard's family double dream - Laid back Fergie gives Grant that sinking feeling - Midnight in Moscow - Fergie: My kids are fearless - Terry will be the Super Tsar - Rio inspired by history.

Daily Mail - Mad Mak - The fearless v the force - Why is it we can't love Rooney? - Perfect stage for Ronaldo to match our '68 hero Best - Coppell to carry on.